| Click on blue article title to read full story. | | | | Cobalt | | | | Reuters US News - January 30, 2018 JOHANNESBURG/LONDON (Reuters) - Brazilian miner Vale is seeking to sell un-mined cobalt worth hundreds of millions of dollars to investors,...... Brazilian miner Vale is seeking to sell un-mined cobalt worth hundreds of millions of dollars to investors, as speculation rises over a shortage of the metal needed to make batteries Brazilian miner Vale is seeking to sell un-mined cobalt worth hundreds of millions of dollars to investors, as speculation rises over a shortage of the metal needed to make batteries, sources familiar with the matter said…Such streaming, which allows an investor to make an upfront payment in exchange for future production at a discounted price, has expanded as a form of finance for precious and base metals companies but this deal would be a first for the booming cobalt sector…Cobalt is a critical component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and its price has benefited from a push by governments and automakers to promote electric vehicles to cut emissions from diesel and petrol cars…Carmakers such as Volkswagen have sought contracts to lock in long-term supplies of cobalt for their ambitious electric vehicle plans…Cobalt extends battery life. Analysts estimate each battery uses between 8-12 kg of the metal, while the overall market is estimated at just over 100,000 tonnes a year. | | The Northern Miner - January 30, 2018 In many eyes, cobalt is set to become an investor darling for 2018, and the recent royalty hike on cobalt production by the government of the world’s largest producer This concern was highlighted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order in December for the U.S. government to develop a federal critical mineral strategy …In the report, cobalt is one of 23 metals and minerals deemed paramount to “the national economy and national security of the United States.”…The USGS calls its report the first comprehensive update on U.S. mineral resource requirements and supply since the 1973 Oil Crisis…Meanwhile the U.S. government’s cobalt stockpile amounted to just 301 tonnes of cobalt, plus negligible amounts of lithium cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide…Secretary Ryan Zinke of the Department of the Interior, which oversees the USGS, stated: “I commend the team of scientists at USGS for the extensive work put into the report, but the findings are shocking. The fact that previous administrations allowed the United States to become reliant on foreign nations, including our competitors and adversaries, for minerals that are so strategically important to our security and economy is deeply troubling. As both a former military commander and geologist, I know the very real national security risk of relying on foreign nations for what the military needs to keep our soldiers and our homeland safe.” | | Asia Pacific Equipment News - January 30, 2018 Frankfurt, Germany: “We are pleased with the seven percent increase in sales generated by the precision tools industry in 2017. The... is the rapidly growing battery production for electromobility competing with tool manufacturers for important raw materials such as cobalt, The industry is looking at the current wage negotiations, the global political climate and the development of raw material prices. Of special note is the rapidly growing battery production for electromobility competing with tool manufacturers for important raw materials such as cobalt, tungsten and tantalum. | | | | | EVs | | | | 4 Traders - January 30, 2018 OAKLAND, Calif. (January 30, 2018)-More than a dozen mayors from across California sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board... More than a dozen mayors from across California sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) expressing their support for zero-emission transit buses and strong state action to accelerate deployment in their communities More than a dozen mayors from across California sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) expressing their support for zero-emission transit buses and strong state action to accelerate deployment in their communities… “Not only can electric buses help California rise to meet our state’s public health challenges, but a swift transition to zero-emission buses will also help meet California’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030,” the mayors wrote. | | Newsdogshare - January 31, 2018 NEW DELHI: South Korean auto major Hyundai plans to invest over $1 billion (around Rs 6,300 crore) in India in the next three years on new...... one will be an electric vehicle, two facelifts and four will be full model changes of existing products.” Electric vehicle: Commenting on South Korean auto major Hyundai plans to invest over $1 billion (around Rs 6,300 crore) in India in the next three years on new products, development of powertrain and setting up of a new office building…Commenting on the company’s foray into electric vehicles (EV), Koo said, “Our first EV in India will be launched next year...In the meantime, he said the company is awaiting clarity from the government in the form of an EV policy so that it can plan the road ahead keeping in view the 2030 target of 40 per cent of all personal vehicles being EVs…With battery being an important component for success of EVs in India, Koo said HMIL is keeping the option open of partnering with local firms for sourcing of electric vehicle battery, besides considering other alternatives like importing from China or South Korea. | | Yahoo Style Singapore - January 31, 2018 Considering how much less power is required than for a car, and how electrification of bicycles has been going on for some time now, it's... and American bikes can go together very nicely indeed. Of course, like electric cars, the elephant in the room is range, but that appears to And if there's one motorcycle manufacturer many people would have put at the bottom of a list of ones likely to introduce an electric motorbike, it would probably be Harley-Davidson. However, it has been revealed that the legendary American motorcycle company is to put its first electric model into production in as little as 18 months…For a brand famed for its incredibly successful formula of monetizing its heritage and appealing to traditionalists, it's a bold move for Harley-Davidson to join the electric age. | | GreenFleet - January 31, 2018 Analysis from automotive data experts hpi shows that savvy motorists could already be making a profit on electric vehicles they bought just...... hpi shows that savvy motorists could already be making a profit on electric vehicles they bought just 12 months ago. A combination of A combination of factors including the rollout of clean air zones, cheaper running costs, increased charging points, incentives to drive and wider availability from manufacturers has helped pique interest in EVs…A car bought at one year old could be run for 12 months and 10,000 miles and be sold for more money than its purchase price… “Sales continue to soar in the EV market as drivers have weighed up the benefits of ownership such as greatly reduced motoring costs and other incentives around driving an alternative to petrol or diesel. | | Yonhap News Agency - January 31, 2018 SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's top chemicals firm, said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter net profit rose 25.2... demand for basic materials, increased sales of electric vehicle batteries and energy storagesystems. The South Korean company said it will LG Chem attributed the hike in operating profit to steady demand for basic materials, increased sales of electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems. | | | | | Congo | | | | The Africa Report.com - January 30, 2018 Government revenue from mining is rising as prices and production go up, but campaigners point to troubles in the management of funds from...... Cobalt is an important component of vehicle batteries, with each battery containing an estimated 5-15kg of the metal. By 2030, global cobalt The main issue for Kanyoni, though, is the stability clause: “We simply cannot accept a stability clause of three to five years. We want it to remain where it is, at 10 years. How can anyone make a serious investment here with the possibility that in just three years the terms of the deal could change?”...Discussion of the revised mining code will shine the spotlight once again on mining companies’ payments to the state’s revenue authorities. Yet just as important, if not more so, are the massive payments that Katanga-based copper and cobalt miners continue to make to state-owned mining companies, and particularly the parastatal Gcamines | | | | | | |